On the night of Saturday, August 2, clashes broke out in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia between local residents and police amid growing tensions over the actions of the regional military recruitment office.
According to public broadcaster Suspilne, dozens of residents gathered late Friday night near the “Lokomotyv” stadium, alleging that around 100 men were being unlawfully held there as part of mobilization efforts. Protesters claimed their relatives had been forcibly taken to the site, prompting them to break through the stadium gates and demand their release.
Several units of the National Police arrived at the scene. Eyewitnesses reported that officers used pepper spray and carried out forceful detentions of protesters. Around midnight, police ordered the crowd to disperse in compliance with curfew regulations. While most demonstrators left, local media reported that about 20 people remained near the stadium until at least 3 a.m.
At around 5 a.m., sources told Suspilne that the men held inside the stadium were being transported away by authorities.
Later that morning, police confirmed they had launched an investigation into the incident. Officials said that a man wanted for draft evasion had been detained by representatives of the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) earlier in the evening. According to police, around 80 people later arrived at the stadium and attempted to free the man, breaking down the gates and clashing with military personnel.
“Police measures were taken to push the crowd back from the premises,” a police spokesperson stated.
The Vinnytsia Regional TRC acknowledged that mobilization measures were indeed being conducted at the stadium with a group of conscripts, insisting that all actions were carried out in full accordance with Ukrainian law.